What Does Getting Joan García Mean for Barcelona?
Joan García of RCD Espanyol was one of the most coveted goalkeepers in this summer’s transfer market with a release clause of only 25 million euros. According to Fabrizio Romano, he’s reached an agreement to sign with Barcelona for five years. Reports suggest that García will become the starter for Hansi Flick, and Wojciech Szczęsny will be the backup, leaving Marc-André ter Stegen’s situation uncertain. Here is what signing this Spanish keeper means for the Blaugrana.
1. Barca Get a Beast in the Box
García stands at six-foot-three and loves commanding his penalty area. He ranks in the 95th percentile in the percentage of crosses stopped among La Liga keepers. Flick should appreciate this trait as he likes his keepers to be proactive and decisive. He faced plenty of crosses during his time at Espanyol, but will most certainly see fewer at Barcelona due to their dominance on the ball. For reference, Szczęsny faced a league-low 8.67 crosses per 90 while García saw 17.63. His ability to be confident going after the ball in tricky spots is important, as Barca conceded two big goals from corners in the Champions League. He’ll need to improve on his defensive actions higher up the pitch due to how aggressive Barca’s defense is. Iñaki Peña, who played in 16 league matches, excelled in this aspect, and Szczęsny improved as the season progressed. García will have plenty of time to improve in this area, and if he does, he’ll be the perfect goalkeeper for Flick.
2. The Future Is Set
Champions League-caliber goalkeepers are hard to come by at a young age. With this signing, Barca believes they have just that, as García just turned 24 last month. Goalkeepers tend to have the oldest peak and can play well for longer than outfield players due to the demands of the position. If all goes well, Barca could have their keeper situation settled for a very long time. García is Spanish, and his hometown is less than 60 miles away from Barcelona. He also chose to play for Barcelona even though they’re Espanyol’s greatest rival. All signs suggest García wants to play for Barcelona and would like to stay. This signing flexes the ethos Barcelona possesses, which may have been hampered by a poor start to the 2020s but has been revived by their excellent latest campaign.
3. Who Leaves?
With García joining and Szczęsny re-signing, the keeper room looks full. Ander Astralaga played for the B-team and will likely go out on loan this season. Peña, having lost the backup spot, could be released, freeing a roster spot. The real question is, what happens with ter Stegen? He just completed his tenth year with the club and has won five La Ligas, not a small feat. However, it is likely in both parties’ best interest for the German to be sold. For Barca, they’d earn money for a solid keeper who still has some years left. For ter Stegen, a move away would allow him to start and secure his spot as Germany’s starter for the upcoming World Cup. Reports have suggested that ter Stegen doesn’t want to leave and also that Barca wouldn’t play the German in any significant moments. This situation could get ugly, and it will be one to monitor this summer.
Barca has secured the goalkeeper for the next few years in García, and at a great price, too. For García, the transition shouldn’t be too tough since he isn’t even changing cities. He will have to adapt to Flick’s style and get used to less stressful matches, but he is young and will have plenty of time. What happens with the other keepers remains to be seen, but Barca fans should feel good about their newest signing.
